Desktop stationery set

ABSTRACT

A desktop stationery set includes a body, a tape dispenser, at least one lighting element and a switch. The body has an insertion slot for holding memo sheets. The tape dispenser is located on the body to cut and dispense an adhesive tape. The lighting element and the switch are located in the body and are electrically connected to each other. The switch is exposed to the insertion slot. When a memo sheet is inserted into the insertion slot, the switch is triggered to activate the lighting element to generate light to provide an alert function.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a desktop stationery set and particularly to a desktop stationery set for holding memo sheets and providing alert function.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the present business environment many different types of media have been developed and marketed to transmit messages. The most fundamental approach is through written words. Due to environmental constraints, memo sheet is widely used. It is a convenient and effective message transmission medium in offices, houses or other environments.

The general memo sheets usually are stacked and bound into a memo pad. Each memo sheet is coated with a releasing glue on the back side to allow the memo sheet to be posted or peeled off repetitively. Users can write the message on the memo sheet, and peel off the written memo sheet to post on a desired location to serve as a memorandum, note, communication means or message slip.

To leave a message to other person through a memo sheet has to post the memo sheet on a noticeable location. The present memo sheet does not provide alert function. Moreover, the memo sheet posted by present method tends to drop after a period of time or due to other external factors. Hence it is not very ineffective.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the aforesaid disadvantages, the present invention aims to provide a desktop stationary set that can hold general stationery items and memo sheets, and also includes a lighting source to provide an alert function.

To achieve the foregoing object, the desktop stationery set according to the invention includes a body, a tape dispenser, at least one lighting element and a switch. The body has an insertion slot for holding memo sheets. The tape dispenser is located on the body to cut and dispense an adhesive tape. The lighting element and the switch are located in the body and are electrically connected to each other. The switch is exposed on the insertion slot. When a memo sheet is inserted into the insertion slot, the switch is triggered to activate the lighting element to emit light and generate the alert function.

In one embodiment of the invention, the switch is a touch switch or a photoelectric switch to be triggered by touching or a photoelectric means to activate the lighting element to generate light and provide the alert function.

In another embodiment of the invention, the tape dispenser includes a tape bracket, a cutter seat and a cutter. The tape bracket is located on the body above a tape holding trough formed on the body to hold a reel of adhesive tape in the tape holding trough. The cutter seat is located on the body. The cutter is located on the cutter seat.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, the body is made from a transparent material and has at least one pen housing to hold pens and pencils. The lighting element may be a light emitting diode (LED). The lighting element may also be coupled with a lamp shade which adopts a prism structure to disperse light.

In short, the main features of the desktop stationery set according to the invention include an insertion slot and a switch (such as a touch switch or photoelectric switch) located in the insertion slot so that when a memo sheet is inserted into the insertion slot the switch is triggered to activate a lighting source in the stationery set to emit light and generate alert function.

The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the desktop stationery set of present invention.

FIG. 2A is a schematic view of an embodiment of the present invention including a touch switch.

FIG. 2B is a schematic view of the embodiment according to FIG. 2A with the touch switch activating a lighting element.

FIG. 3A is another schematic view of the touch switch of the present invention.

FIG. 3B is another schematic view of the touch switch of the present invention according to FIG. 3A with the touch switch activating a lighting element

FIG. 4A is a schematic view of another embodiment of the present invention including a photoelectric switch.

FIG. 4B is a schematic view of the embodiment according to FIG. 4A with the photoelectric switch activating a lighting element.

FIG. 5A is a schematic view of another embodiment of the photoelectric switch of present invention.

FIG. 5B is a schematic view of the embodiment according to FIG. 5A with the photoelectric switch activating a lighting element.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the present invention with the lighting element coupled with a lamp shade.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIGS. 1, 2A and 2B for an embodiment of a desktop stationery set 100 of the invention. It includes a body 110, a tape dispenser 120, at least one lighting element 130 and a touch switch 140. The body 110 has an insertion slot 112 to hold a memo sheet 10. The body 110 is made from a transparent material such as acrylic, glass or the like.

The tape dispenser 120 includes a tape bracket 122, a cutter seat 124 and a cutter 126. The tape bracket 122 is located on the body 110 above a tape holding trough 114 formed on the body 110 to hold a reel of adhesive tape 20 in the tape holding trough 114. The cutter seat 124 is located on the body 110. The cutter 126 is located on the cutter seat 124 to cut off the adhesive tape 20.

The lighting element 130, such as a LED, is located in the body 110 and soldered on a circuit board 150. The touch switch 140 is located in the body 110 and exposed to the insertion slot 112. The touch switch 140 includes a first conductive blade 142 and a second conductive blade 144. The first conductive blade 142 is connected electrically to an electrode of the lighting element 130 through a circuit of the circuit board 150. The second conductive blade 144 is connected electrically to another electrode of the lighting element 130 through the circuit of the circuit board 150. Of course the first conductive blade 142 and the second conductive blade 144 may also be connected electrically to the lighting element 130 through a wire or other means rather than through the circuit of the circuit board 150. Moreover, the power supply of the lighting element 130 may be a battery (not shown in the drawings).

It is to be noted that, when a memo sheet 10 is inserted into the insertion slot 112, it depresses the first conductive blade 142 to contact the second conductive blade 144, thereby activate the lighting element 130 to emit light. For instance, when a visitor or a colleague wants to leave a message, he/she can write the message on the memo sheet 10 and insert the memo sheet 10 into the insertion slot 112 to activate the lighting element 130 to generate light. Thus it serves an alert function and reminds the stationery set owner that there is a pending matter to be tended.

Refer to FIGS. 2A and 2B for an embodiment of the first conductive blade 142 and the second conductive blade 144. They are located on the left side of the insertion slot 112. Of course to those skilled in the art, it is known that the desktop stationery set 100 may be designed with different styles. And the first conductive blade 142 and the second conductive blade 144 may also be located on the right side of the insertion slot 112 (namely on the opposite side).

Refer to FIGS. 3A and 3B for another type of touch switch 170 of the present invention. The touch switch 170 is a single conductive blade and is located in the insertion slot 112. The conductive blade is divided into a first connecting section 172 and a second connecting -section 174. According to this embodiment, the first connecting section 172 is fixed on one electrode of the lighting element 130 and is connected electrically to an electrode of the lighting element 130. When the memo sheet 10 is inserted into the insertion slot 112, the memo sheet can depresses the conductive blade and make the second connecting section 174 contact with a contact point 152 of the circuit board 150. Moreover, by the line of the circuit board 150(not shown in the figure) connecting electrically to an electrode of the lighting element 130, the lighting element 130 can emit light.

Refer to FIGS. 4A and 4B for another embodiment of the desktop stationary set 100 of the invention. It is generally constructed like the one set forth above. The difference is that the touch switch 140 is replaced by a photoelectric switch 160. The photoelectric switch 160 in this embodiment includes a transmitter 162 and a receiver 164 that are located in the body 110 and connected electrically to the lighting element 130, and are located on two opposite sides of the insertion slot 112. The transmitter 162 generates light, and the receiver 164 receives the light. Lighting of the lighting element 130 is activated by whether the receiver 164 has received the light emitted by the transmitter.

In this embodiment, the transmitter 162 and the receiver 164 are located on two sides of the insertion slot 112. When the memo sheet 10 is inserted into the insertion slot 112, the light emitted by the transmitter 162 is blocked from reaching the receiver 164. Hence the photoelectric switch 160 triggers the lighting element 130 to generate light to achieve the alert function.

Referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B, in the event that the design of optical path is permitted, the transmitter 162 and the receive 164 of the photoelectric switch 160 may also be located on the same side of the insertion slot 112. When the memo sheet 10 is inserted into the insertion slot 112, the light emitted by the transmitter 162 is reflected by the memo sheet 10 and received by the receiver 164. Then the photoelectric switch 160 triggers the lighting element 130 to generate light to achieve the alert function.

In the photoelectric switch 160 mentioned above, the transmitter 162 may be a laser diode or other LED of a selected spectrum. The receiver 16 may be a photodiode or other photosensitive elements.

Referring to FIG. 6, the lighting element 130 of the invention may also be coupled with a lamp shade 132 which adopts a prism design to refract or disperse light passing through to the body 110 to increase the visual scope.

While the body 110 is made from a transparent material in the aforesaid embodiments, to those skilled in the art, it is not a limitation. The body 110 may also be made from an opaque material. Or transparent zones may be formed on the body 110, or the lighting element 130 may be placed outside the body 110 to project light outside the body 110 to provide the alert function.

Referring to FIG. 1, the desktop stationery set 100 according to the invention, besides holding the tape dispenser 120, may also have at least one pen housing 116 formed on the body 110 to hold pens and pencils (not shown in the drawing). Of course, other stationery items such as rules, ink paste, paper clips, stapler and the like may also be included according to requirements.

In summary, the desktop stationery set according to the invention has an insertion slot and a switch (may be a touch switch, photoelectric switch, or other mechanical or photoelectric switches) located in the insertion slot to trigger a lighting source to generate light when a memo sheet is inserted into the insertion slot. Namely, in addition to the basic function of holding various stationery items, it also can hold memo sheets and prevent the memo sheet from lost, and provide alert function.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiments of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

1. A desktop stationery set having an alert function, comprising: a body having an insertion slot for holding a memo sheet; a tape dispenser located on the body for holding a reel of adhesive tape and cutting the adhesive tape; at least one lighting element located in the body; and a switch located in the body connecting electrically to the lighting element and exposed to the insertion slot such that insertion of the memo sheet into the insertion slot triggers the switch to activate the lighting element to generate light to achieve the alert function.
 2. The desktop stationery set of claim 1, wherein the switch is a touch switch.
 3. The desktop stationery set of claim 2, wherein the touch switch includes: a first conductive blade connecting electrically to one electrode of the lighting element; and a second conductive blade connecting electrically to another one electrode of the lighting element such that when the memo sheet is inserted into the insertion slot the first conductive blade is compressed to connect the second conductive blade to activate the lighting element to generate light.
 4. The desktop stationery set of claim 1, wherein the touch switch is a conductive blade which has a first connecting section and a second connecting section, the first connecting section being connected electrically to an electrode of the lighting element, the memo sheet being inserted into the insertion slot and the memo sheet depressing the conductive blade, the second connecting section connecting electrically to an electrode of the lighting element, the lighting element emitting light.
 5. The desktop stationery set of claim 1, wherein the switch is a photoelectric switch.
 6. The desktop stationery set of claim 5, wherein the photoelectric switch includes: a transmitter located in the body to emit a second light; and a receiver located in the body to receive the light such that when the memo sheet is inserted into the insertion slot the second light is blocked from reaching the receiver to determine whether the lighting element to be activated to generate the light.
 7. The desktop stationery set of claim 6, wherein the transmitter and the receiver are located on a same side of the insertion slot.
 8. The desktop stationery set of claim 6, wherein the transmitter and the receiver are located on different sides of the insertion slot.
 9. The desktop stationery set of claim 1, wherein the body further has a tape holding trough, the tape dispenser including: a tape bracket located on the body above the tape holding trough to hold the reel of adhesive tape in the tape holding trough; a cutter seat located on the body; and a cutter located on the tape cutter.
 10. The desktop stationery set of claim 1, wherein the body is made from a transparent material.
 11. The desktop stationery set of claim 1, wherein the body further includes at least one pen housing for holding pens.
 12. The desktop stationery set of claim 1 further including a lamp shade to couple with the lighting element, the lamp shade having a prism structure to disperse the light generated by the lighting element.
 13. The desktop stationery set of claim 1 further including a circuit board located in the body to hold the lighting element, the switch being connected electrically to the lighting element through the circuit board.
 14. The desktop stationery set of claim 1, wherein the lighting element is a light emitting diode. 